Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf A

The Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf A was the first production version of the Panzer IV medium support tank, and shared many features with all of the over 8,000 tanks that followed. Krupp had been awarded the contract to produce a 20 ton tank in 1935 after a three way contest. In April 1936 the new tank was officially named the Panzerkampfwagen IV, having been developed under a number of code names, amongst them Bataillonsführerwagen or battalion commander’s vehicle (BW), The first production vehicles were produced in October 1937, and five months later the last of 35 Ausf As was completed.

Many features of the Panzer IV remained the same throughout its production run. The tank had the engine at the rear, and the drive and the front. The suspension was provided by eight road wheels in four pairs supported by leaf springs. All of the standard tanks had a rear idler and four return rollers. They also all carried a crew of five – commander, loader and gunner in the turret and driver and radio operator in the forward superstructure.

The Panzer IV ausf A was powered by a 250hp 12-cylinder Maybach engine, connected to a five speed gearbox. A more powerful engine would be installed in later models. The Panzer IV also carried an auxiliary engine which could be used to charge the batteries used for the powered turret.

All early versions of the Panzer IV were built as support tanks. As a result they were armed with a short 75mm gun firing HE ammunition. It was expected that the Panzer III would deal with enemy tanks while the Panzer IV would be used for longer range attacks on anti-tank weapons. The Ausf A also carried two 7.92mm machine guns, one in a coaxial mounting in the turret and one in the right of the front superstructure, where it was operated by the radio operator.

The front of the superstructure was stepped, with the driver’s position on the left pushed further forward than the radio operator on the right. This was done in order to give the driver a view to the right. This feature was removed on the Ausf B, but would reappear on later models. The Ausf A had a simple drum cupola above the commander’s position, with 8 open vision slits.

Like all early German tanks the Panzer IV Ausf A was not well protected. Its armour was designed to be proof against shell fragments and armour-piercing rounds from small arms but in Poland it would prove to be very vulnerable to anti-tank fire.

Thirty of the thirty-five Ausf As had been issued by 1 April 1938. They fought in Poland, Norway and France but were withdrawn before the Balkan campaign in the spring of 1941.